A relentless series of earthquakes has rocked the Greek island of Santorini, forcing thousands of residents and tourists to flee as authorities brace for potential escalation. Since last week, over 1,000 tremors-some measuring up to 5.2 magnitude-have been recorded, sparking widespread fear and emergency measures on one of Europe's most famous vacation destinations.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis urged calm but acknowledged the severity of the situation, stating, "I understand the fear of what it means at the moment to be on a Santorini that is constantly moving."
More than 7,000 people have departed Santorini since the quakes began, according to AFP, with ferry lines and airlines scrambling to accommodate the exodus. Authorities have banned access to certain coastal areas, shut down schools on multiple islands, and canceled public events in an effort to mitigate risks.
The Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre confirmed that most quakes are occurring just 15 miles off Santorini's coast in the Aegean Sea. However, Efthimios Lekkas, head of the Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization, cautioned that seismic activity is moving northward and could continue for "several days or even several weeks."
Despite Santorini's location atop a dormant volcano that last erupted in 1950, a panel of experts emphasized that the current earthquakes are not linked to volcanic activity. The Civil Protection Ministry noted that while there has been some increased activity within Santorini's caldera, it remains unrelated to the tremors.
Experts told AFP that Santorini has not experienced seismic activity of this intensity since records began in 1964.
Authorities are bolstering emergency response plans as uncertainty looms over whether a larger quake could be imminent. Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias stated that a coast guard vessel and a military landing craft are on standby in case an evacuation is necessary.
Authorities have also dispatched mobile telecom units, generators, and satellite communication systems to Santorini and neighboring islands Anafi, Ios, and Amorgos.
Additionally, the government launched a digital platform, mysafetyplan.gov.gr, providing maps of designated safe gathering points in the event of an emergency.
Santorini, a major European tourist hotspot with 3.4 million visitors in 2023, is facing a steep decline in arrivals as fear spreads. Travel restrictions and ferry disruptions due to rough weather have added to the island's growing sense of isolation.
Local residents remain divided over whether to stay or leave. Panagiotis Hatzigeorgiou, a retired police officer and ship worker who has lived on Santorini for over 30 years, insisted he wasn't going anywhere despite invitations to stay with relatives in Athens.
"Older residents are used to the earthquakes," he told the Associated Press. "But it's different this time. It's not the same to have earthquakes every two to three minutes."
While no injuries or major structural damage have been reported, experts remain unable to predict whether the tremors are precursors to a larger quake or will eventually subside.
"We are not able to predict the evolution of the sequence in time," Lekkas said, reinforcing that earthquake forecasting remains scientifically impossible.
Meanwhile, businesses and residents await further guidance as seismic activity continues with no clear end in sight.
